Frequently Asked Questions
First time visitors to Uganda
Where is Uganda?
Uganda is geographically located in the Eastern part of the African continent being bounded by magical Kenya in the East, South Sudan in the North, Rwanda in the South West, Tanzania in the South and Democratic Republic of Congo in the West.
How to get there
Visitors from different countries of the World to Uganda usually access it by air transport means arriving in at Entebbe international airport which is 37km south west of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
What’s required for Entry permission
Travellers from different countries of the World to Uganda are required to present three valid documents at the customs which include passport, Entry Visa and Yellow fever vaccination card. A valid passport in Uganda is considered to be valid when it’s still six months or more to its expiration date
Is Uganda Safe?
Uganda is safer with no threats of attack, police stations are distributed in different regions of the country to protect local residents and visitors to the country. Army force is also available to protect the country in case of attack.
What is the nature of accommodation in Uganda?
Uganda is characterised with different accommodation facilities in different regions of the country reserved for visitors to stay ranging from budget facilities to luxury accommodation facilities.
How many transport systems are used in Uganda?
There are four transportation systems used in Uganda including air transport, railway transport, Road transport and Water transport system. Road transport is the mostly used system in Uganda characterised with good roads.
What’s the Official language used in Uganda?
The official language in Uganda is English although other local languages like Luganda, Lusoga, Lutooro and more are also used.
What type of Food is served in Uganda?
Both international and local food staffs are served in Uganda’s restaurants, hotels and more. So it’s your choice to ask what you are interested in.
About Mountain Gorillas
Where to go for Gorillas in Uganda
While in Uganda, the only two Parks to go for Gorillas include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which are both located in the South Western part of Uganda.
What is the price for Gorilla permits in Uganda?
Gorilla Permits in Uganda cost $600 USD per person usually booked in advance before the trekking dates.
How many people are allowed for Gorilla trek?
Each Gorilla family is allowed to be visited by a group of eight people per day plus the Park ranger guide.
What’s the time taken for Gorilla trek?
Usually the time taken in the Jungle and distance moved depends on where these apes spent there last night but after locating them you are allowed to be in their presence for only one hour while seeing them playing, feeding plus taking photos and videos of them.
How difficult is Gorilla Trekking?
This is one of the most frequent asked question by clients about trekking mountain gorillas and perhaps the most difficulty to answer. The trek to see the mountain gorillas is in two distinct phases; the first is the hike from starting point to the forest and national park boundary, which usually takes 30-60 minutes depending on the speed used and the group they are visiting.
The second is trek into the forest in search of the gorillas, which will usually have been located by the advance trackers by the time you reach the forest edge. The first part of the trek is predictable, and it is usually quite flat and undemanding.
The second part is more difficult to predict, as it will depend on the exact location of the gorillas on the day, and on the steepness of the terrain en route.
But for what I can recommend is that for you to trek mountain gorillas you must be physically fit, you must have to do a lot of exercise to be able to engage in this activity.
Are mountain gorillas friendly?
Although mountain gorillas are big, muscular creatures, they are described to be intelligent, affectionate and gentle. They are calm vegetarians who are dedicated to their group members.
The gorillas spend most of their time interacting, feeding, playing and aggressive in case there is an intruder in the family. They welcome humans only if they are peaceful but if danger is sensed, they may be harmful.
Are mountain gorillas biologically similar to human beings?
Yes they are because it’s stated that they are our closest relatives. They share 97% of our genus as well as 97% of our DNA. Gorillas and humans originated from a universal ancestor, some of the qualities that are more like humans include family oriented, emotional, playful and intelligent. They are very good at using sign language.
Are Mountain Gorillas independent?
Mountain gorillas are social creatures and they live in groups with varying sizes. The group consists of infants, juveniles, females and males. The silverback is always dominant in the group; he protects and looks for food to its members.
When males reach the age of 11 years, they leave their biological group although it’s always hard to join any established group. They are looked at as enemies to the group. Adult males first spend most of their time in isolation not until they attract females and form their own group.
Females normally leave at the age of 8 years to join the new group formed prior to breeding. Gorillas care for each other and adult gorillas will do anything to protect their younger ones from poachers or any kind of threat.
When anyone dies in the group, the gorillas morn for their dear one. For the case of the silverback, family members can be disorganized and settle into other groups.
What type of food do mountain gorillas eat?
First and foremost, mountain gorillas are vegetarians, they only feed on leaves, shoots, roots, -and stems, bark of trees and flowers of plants. Additional foods for the mountain gorilla diet include fruits, bamboo shoots and wild celery.
Their major home is the Hagenia forest, due to the fact that their food is discovered in this area all-year around. Bamboo shoots grow at a very fast rate and tender shoots are accessible during August and December.
The bamboo forest is another home for the gorillas. Gorillas spend most of their time in the mountainous area and never move to the cultivated area that surrounds their home.
What is the average life span of a mountain gorilla?
Their average life span is quite a challenge to predict due to the fact that they only live in the wild. However it ranges from 30 to 35 years.
How old must you be to track Mountain Gorillas?
There is a minimum age of 16 years for anyone obtaining a permit to track Mountain Gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda. Park Authorities will check the age of all permit holders against the birth date in your passport.